On June 2, South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) called for an investigation into leaked documents alleging corrupt influence from business family the Guptas over the administration of President Jacob Zuma. A closer look:
CAPTURING THE STATE
The cache of more than 100,000 documents allegedly shows the Guptas brokering favors with ministers and lending money to Zuma’s son Duduzane to buy a luxury apartment. The leak supports allegations that the wealthy brothers are using their influence in an act of “state capture,” as South African media call it.
WEB OF CONNECTIONS
The Guptas’ links to Zuma have long been suspected, but claims have become more numerous. In March 2016, then Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas said the family offered to get him promoted. Protests broke out this April after Zuma fired him and his vocally antigraft boss Pravin Gordhan.
ZUMA’S FUTURE
Both the Guptas and the President have denied allegations of illegal collusion. But the claims threaten to further divide Zuma’s ANC ahead of a December vote to choose his successor as leader. Whomever they choose will determine whether the party of Nelson Mandela can overcome Zuma’s rotten legacy.
This appears in the June 19, 2017 issue of TIME.
- Alison Roman Won't Sugarcoat It
- If Donald Trump Is Indicted, Here's What Would Happen Next in the Process
- The World's Greatest Places of 2023
- Exclusive: Effective Altruist Leaders Were Repeatedly Warned About Sam Bankman-Fried Years Before FTX Collapsed
- Who Should Be on the 2023 TIME100? Vote Now
- Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's Surprising Second Act
- Gaslighting, Narcissist, and More Psychology Terms You're Misusing
- In This Texas County, There's No Such Thing as Moving on From COVID-19
- In Defense of Nora Ephron's Unfairly Panned Heartburn Movie
- Want Today's Top Headlines in Your Inbox? Sign Up for The Brief